


the wandering divine (when the sun fell in love with the earth)

by blacksatinpointeshoes



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Agents of SHIELD as gods, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Gen, Grant Ward is Still Garbage, Mythology - Freeform, The Darkhold (Marvel), Villain Grant Ward, well not exactly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-23
Updated: 2017-11-09
Packaged: 2019-01-22 02:41:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12471648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blacksatinpointeshoes/pseuds/blacksatinpointeshoes
Summary: Long ago, before the humans built their empires, the gods walked the earth. After the traitorous lord of darkness stole from Melinda, the queen of the gods, two deities are sent to retrieve what was taken. Roberto, the sun, and Daisy, the earth, form an unlikely bond on their journey to bring order to the universe once again.Come all, children, and gather round; be sure not to miss a thing. This is the story of how, long ago, the sun fell in love with the earth.





	1. prologue

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Fierysky](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fierysky/gifts).



> it's about time! welcome to the wandering divine, this time on Ao3. dedicated to the dearest Fierysky (whistlingwindtree on tumblr) for her everlasting dedication and support. enjoy!

In the beginning, there were the four concepts born of Fury, the ultimate power: the chaos and the energy, boundless in their potential, came first. Then there was the void, containing the endless silky cloth that would become sea and sky. Last came the slippery darkness, whose inky depths stained the universe with its roiling, tainted tendrils. These concepts would reach into their depths and from themselves pull the planets, the stars, and the natural world. 

From the chaos came Roberto, the sun, and his brother Gabriel, the stars. Roberto and Gabriel were the keepers and judges of the afterlife, and they rewarded honorable mortals with a light in the sky. The chaos's youngest creation was Lance, of temper and war, and the trio combined were a fiery group with immense power. 

From the void came Melinda, the sky, and Alphonso, the sea. Melinda and Alphonso became the rulers of their respective domains, and Melinda the queen of them all. The void had entrusted her with a tome of power and knowledge so that the all-seeing sky goddess could be a fair and just ruler. The book, known as the Darkhold, contained the secrets of the universe, and was meant for divine eyes only. It was Melinda's most prized possession, and a well kept secret. No mortal had ever laid eyes on it. 

Melinda had two daughters: Daisy, the earth, and Jemma, the flora. After they had grown, the queen sought a mate for herself. She settled down with a mortal man, named Phillip, and in her affections granted him eternal youth. And yet Melinda had forgotten something important: his skin was breakable and weak; Phillip was not a god. When he was killed by the greed of man, Melinda begged Roberto and Gabriel to give him another chance. Thus Phillip was returned to her as the moon deity, to accompany Melinda for all time.

From the energy came Leopold, the embodiment of light. The second eldest of energy's creations was Elena, the wind, who was anything from the gentlest breeze to the fiercest tornado. Upon her union with Alphonso came their daughter Hope, of the hurricane. Next was Morse, patron of all animals, and the youngest was Antoine. With his laughing eyes and sharp mind, the god of beauty and cunning was a force to be reckoned with. The four siblings were thick as thieves, a merry group of cheerful tricksters. 

There are many stories about the gods that can be told, and many that shall be. The union of the sky and the moon, for one, tells the tale of the mortal Phillip and his love for the Queen that even death could not hold for long. The warring of the animals recounts Lance's ungainly courting tactics, in hope of attracting Morse's attention. The sisters' legend is a reminder of the earth and the flora's mischievous ways. The story of the tallest oak tells of Leopold's attempt to catch Jemma's eye by showering her favourite tree in a glowing, golden light. 

Our gods are frivolous, restless creatures, but for all their fallacies they are kind rulers. Those born of chaos, void, and energy remain bounding about our universe today. Their story simply keeps expanding; it grows and changes with the turn of each century. Yet the deity born of darkness has not been included on this list of merciful gods. 

The lord of darkness is the youngest of all gods, and the bitterest. He crawled out of darkness slick with the blood of his brothers, murdered before they could see the light of day. From the age before time his cruelty was known, and such behavior was shunned by all other divine beings. The lord of darkness had no name, but among the mortals he began to be known as Ward - for he was warded off from every home, and deflected away from every child. The god Ward commanded a terrible dark matter that he could manipulate with his hands and fashion into servants to do his bidding. Many stories revolve around him as well, in the ultimate and constant struggle against good and evil where good must always prevail. 

Soon your humble narrator will perform a tale for you - a story of harrowing adventure, of thievery and deceit, of unlikely alliance, and of friendship. This is a story you may have heard before, though not in this rendition. You may know it in other forms, or by another name. It doesn't matter - its essence is always the same. 

Come all, children, and gather round; be sure not to miss a thing. This is the story of how, long ago, the sun fell in love with the earth. 


	2. daunted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our story begins. The protagonists meet.

A long time ago, before the humans built their empires, the gods walked the earth. They could blend in among the mortals, for the most part, although their electric, glowing eyes always revealed their true nature. On the ground, the gods could take many forms, and were famed for presenting themselves as ten-foot tall giants when invoking power. The wandering divine, however, were usually a peaceful collective, and spent many millennia observing their human creations. 

On the day of light and the day of darkness, all the gods convened in the palace of Queen Melinda. Those two days were the only times when the lord of darkness was allowed to walk her sacred marble floors, and he stood throne-less while the others were fitted with ornate, regal chairs. The hall was filled with discussions of the humans, and the events of the gods' domains. 

The bitter deity decided, on one day of darkness, that enough was enough. He smuggled a mortal man named Radcliffe into the palace and ordered him to retrieve Melinda's sacred book. Shrouded in the manifestation of darkness itself, Radcliffe stole the Darkhold with ease - but once he had it, the human refused to follow through with the agreement. The divine power had driven him out of his mind, but Radcliffe was imbibed with so much strength that he was a formidable enemy even for Ward. Ward, meanwhile, desired possession of the book in order to learn Melinda's secrets and overthrow the order of the gods. 

So the man with the universe in his head fought the lord of darkness in a bloody, gruesome face-off. No matter what Ward did, Radcliffe refused to give up the book. With his dying breaths, the mortal committed one last terrible act: he destroyed the Darkhold itself. The powerful golden pages were flung into the air and scattered around the world; all that remained was the book's leather cover. The energy contained in the dispersed remnants was immense, and even one page had enough magic to bring down an entire human city. 

Upon hearing of this thievery, Queen Melinda was furious. She brought seven days of storm from the sky and filled the oceans to their brim. Hail, rain, ice, and snow fell day and night on all the human settlements to mark the sky goddess's grief. After the last day, Melinda called to herself Roberto, the sun, and her daughter Daisy, the earth. 

"I have called you here," said Melinda gravely, "because you are of great skill and power. I trust that you will search the world to the best of your ability and return what has been stolen from me." 

Roberto, a stoic and often humourless entity, nodded but did not reply. Daisy, on the other hand, pledged enthusiastically, "I will do whatever it takes, and destroy the scheming lord of darkness with all of his wicked plans." 

At these words Melinda grew concerned. "No," she corrected firmly. "We are not to take action against the darkness until there are no other options. You will find the pages and use as little violence as possible to do so. Hear me, daughter: this is an order." 

Daisy looked into her mother's eyes and knew that her task was a serious one. "Yes, mother," conceded the young goddess, bowing her head. 

Melinda paused and looked upon her daughter with affection. "Before you leave, I will give you a gift," said the queen. "For you, Daisy, is this elixir." A maidservant rushed forward to tuck a bottle in the folds of Daisy's robe. 

"What does it do?" asked the earth, running her fingers over the smooth container and peering at the golden liquid inside. 

"A drop on the tongue will speed up the healing of a wound, and provide a burst of energy," explained Melinda. "But be careful - too much will hurt you far more than it will help." 

"Thank you, mother," Daisy murmured, replacing the bottle in her pocket. 

"For you, Roberto," Melinda continued, shifting her gaze towards him, "is the chain of heaven, so that you may wield the power of the sun even when on the ground." 

"Thank you, majesty," said Roberto as the chain was slung over his shoulder. It was ten feet long and as tall as Roberto himself in godly form. The weapon was very clearly divine; no mortal would be able to lift it. 

"See your mission through," Melinda told them, looking at each in turn. "Make me proud. I know you will." 

With those words having been said, Daisy and Roberto, the earth and the sun, were shown out of the sky queen's palace. As they called upon Leopold's light to carry them to the ground, the gods shrank to human size. Roberto's flaming skull melted away and was replaced by human features; his deadly whip became much smaller so that he could carry it still. 

The pair stepped over the threshold that separated the godly world from the mortal one, and with that, their adventure had begun. There was no going back. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kudos/comments are always appreciated! I'm on tumblr as thoughtsbubble if you wish to yell at/with me :)
> 
> also, there is now cover art! made by the lovely memorizingthedigitsofpi on tumblr, it can also be found on my feed.


	3. dauntless

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The quest begins. Daisy and Robbie find kinship in each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> finally caught up to tumblr - all content after this chapter will be new and different!

On their quest, Daisy and Roberto searched high and low for the missing pages of Melinda's book. They used Robbie's sun chariot to search the daylight hours for the many missing pages of Melinda's book. Instantly, however, friction began to gather between the two young gods. Daisy had a warm and friendly nature; as the earth she felt a certain kinship to all living things. Daisy spoke of much while she travelled, and there was hardly a moment of silence. Robbie, on the other hand, was nearly her exact opposite. 

"First," said Daisy, "we will go visit Phillip, the moon. He will be able to provide guidance during the night when you will not be able to see.  Morse, the fauna, can arrange for her animals to run across the lands and retrieve the rest of the pages." 

Roberto was quiet as she spoke, only reacting to nod occasionally. He was very solemn and rarely smiled. From the earth, Daisy could often see him pulling the sun across the sky, and she wondered why he was so distant. 

"Have I done something to displease you, Roberto?" asked Daisy, her forehead crinkling with concern. "I do not mean to cause discontent." 

"No," was his reply, as he adjusted the chain around his shoulder. "You have done nothing." 

Moments passed and yet the sun god provided no further explanation. "Are you sure?" asked Daisy, her intense dark eyes trained on him. "I do not wish to pry, only to comfort. You seem uneasy." 

For the first time since they had set out, Roberto laughed. It was a short, cynical noise, and Daisy prompted him with a questioning look. "We are alone," he said slowly, "on a mission to collect the pages of the most powerful book in the universe. Opposing us is the lord of darkness himself, who is now enlisting the help of enhanced mortals to do his dirty work. Do you remember what happened the last time?" 

Daisy, of course, knew exactly what had happened the last time: Jemma and Leopold had been trapped inside darkness itself, causing the world to go pitch black for four days. One at a time, the stars had begun to wink out, and Gabriel had still not fully recovered. The war between the gods was the largest cosmic event in the last million years.

"I do understand the gravity of the situation, Roberto," said Daisy seriously. "We will be careful. My mother's gifts will give us aid." 

"Do not rely too heavily on those gifts," Roberto warned, a shadow crossing his face in the evening light. "You wished to know why I am uneasy: our task is more than enough. You, Daisy, are practically a stranger." 

Quickly, Daisy protested, "I have known you since the dawn of time." 

Roberto halted abruptly and looked her in the eyes. "Then," he said evenly, "you would know that my name is Robbie." 

Daisy stood for a moment, open-mouthed with shock. Who was this arrogant man? Certainly not the stoic sun god she was used to. While he certainly was not pleased with her, Daisy felt some sense of pride in getting him to talk. 

Collecting herself, Daisy caught up with him and dusted off her hands. She would need to completely change her approach. "Well, Robbie," she responded with her usual determined cheer, "now that we're properly introduced, it's time to go to the moon."  

 

* * *

 

Robbie and Daisy travelled all through the day, and Robbie used his chariot to guide them throughout the hours of light. When the pages were returned to their leather binding, they began to glow and sealed themselves back into the book. The phenomena made both of the young gods jump the first time it happened, a moment of breathless exhilaration and nervous laughter. 

Daisy found the first page caught on a tree branch; Robbie found the next on top of a mountain, and so forth. By the time Gabriel's stars began to crawl into the sky, thirty-six pages had been found. Daisy and Robbie were very tired, but still had to continue on their journey to the moon. Robbie's blazing chariot was no longer an option for means of travel, so the pair called on Elena, the wind. 

"I can take you," replied the older goddess at their request, a devilish gleam in her eye. "Each of you - take my hand and hold on tight." Before they knew it they were whisked away and delivered at Phillip's cottage. Elena winked at Daisy before disappearing, leaving behind only the slightest breeze. The goddess of the wind was a bright, mischievous woman, and she seemed to know something that Daisy and Robbie did not. 

"Would you like to knock?" asked Daisy, nodding towards the door.

"No," said Robbie, fixing her with a stern look. "Why would I?"

"I was only trying to be polite," Daisy responded, miffed. If he was going to be so rude about it, she wouldn't ask next time. "Have a little fun."

"Fun? We're trying to save the world, Daisy -"

"Yes, and we're stuck with each other while we're at it so excuse me for trying to make things a little more bearable for you!" 

Suddenly the door clicked and swung open, revealing a pale, middle aged man. Phillip, the moon, of course. "Are you coming in?" he asked mildly, with a hint of amusement. "Or am I just going to wait until you've finished bickering?" 

"Phillip! Stepfather, I extend my deepest apologies," Daisy said formally, glaring at Robbie out of the corner of her eye. _"Roberto_ and I seek a favour on our quest. May we enter?" 

Phillip opened the door wider to allow them in; Robbie and Daisy followed him inside. _"Now_ look what you've done," muttered Robbie, and Daisy twisted around to gape at him.

"Me -?!" she hissed, beginning to anger, before she noticed the curl of his lips and the laughter in his eyes. Robbie was teasing her. It was gone too quickly to point out, but the smile was there all the same. Daisy's heart leapt forward a few, stuttering beats, and then the moment was over. 

She followed Phillip inside. 

The older man gestured for the pair of travellers to sit down, and they each took seats at a small, plain table in the centre of the cottage. Phillip sat across from them with a pleasant smile on his face as he folded his hands in his lap. "What do you need?" he asked, and Daisy glanced to Robbie. Wordlessly he understood, pulling out Melinda's broken book and lying it on the table. 

The atmosphere changed instantly; Daisy could've sworn the temperature dropped ten degrees. "Melinda's book," said Phillip softly, reaching out to run his fingers over the cover. "She's sent you to get it back."

Robbie nodded, his dark eyes heavy with intent. "We've searched all the days in my chariot. We need your perspective," he explained, his voice gruff. "Will you help?" 

"To look for the pages?" asked Phillip, and Robbie nodded. "Of course. I’ll help. But one of you will need to stay awake with me." 

"I can," Daisy offered, as Robbie interrupted to say he could do it as well. She reached out over the table and nudged his arm, her hair framing her face like a halo. "You were driving the chariot all day today. Get some rest." 

In a fraction of a second Daisy could've sworn she saw him smile again, but like before it was too late to be sure. "Alright," Robbie conceded after a moment. "Tell me in the morning what you've found." 

That night Phillip provided Daisy and Robbie with a light dinner of soup and bread, a broth that warmed each of the young gods from head to toe. Afterwards, Robbie disappeared into the cottage to sleep, while Phillip and Daisy sat outside to search for pages. The earth was stretched out below them, every cavern and valley visible from their place in the sky. Daisy loved her domain with all her heart. 

Whenever they spotted a page, Phillip sent down a glittering marker so that Daisy and Robbie could collect it the next day. The flags raced across the sky and plummeted towards the earth, shooting across the horizon. The night proved a particularly effective way to find pages, as Phillip and Daisy were able to mark sixty-one for retrieval the next day. Before the sun rose, Daisy began to nod off, so Phillip picked up his sleeping stepdaughter and carried her inside. There Robbie was already waiting, and he grew agitated at the sight of Daisy limp in Phillip's arms. 

"What have you done to her?" he asked, incensed, his voice as hard as a diamond. "Is she -"

Phillip held up a finger and smiled. "She is only sleeping," he explained, setting down the young goddess on an extra bed. "Don't be afraid, Robbie. Here you're safe."

The wariness faded from Robbie's eyes and he nodded once, slinging his chain over his shoulder. "When she wakes, we must leave," said the sun. "There is so much work to do." 

 

* * *

 

At the start of the next day, Elena returned to bring Robbie and Daisy back to earth. Phillip and Elena, old acquaintances, shared a look that neither the sun nor the earth understood. Soon the two gods were back on land, and picked up the pages marked by Phillip's shooting stars. When they had finished, they called upon Morse to ask for yet another favour.

"Hello," greeted Morse, who was carrying two long wooden spears on her back. "Daisy, it is good to see you again. You as well, Roberto. What do you need?" 

Daisy lead Morse into a small clearing, where she removed the book from Robbie's satchel and held it out. Morse gasped at the sight of it, stepping back. "Daisy - you're collecting the pages of Melinda's book." 

"Yes," said Daisy emphatically. "We only have ninety. We know that hundreds more are scattered around the world, but we do not have the means to collect them. We need your animals to help us, and bring the pages here." 

Morse looked wary. "I don't know," she said hesitantly. "The animals may not be able to handle such power. I do not want to burden them so."

Daisy looked to Robbie for help, and the quiet man spoke for the first time that day. "This is not just a matter for the well being of your animals, Morse," he countered softly, his every word containing strength and conviction. "This is the life and death of the universe. I will provide light for your animals wherever they go, as long as they bring back the pages of Melinda's book." 

"A light?" asked Morse, beginning to waver. She knew it was the right thing to do, and her morals were sound. "How so?" 

Robbie instructed, "Give me one of your bugs, and I will show you." Morse did as he asked, and Robbie cupped the little animal in his palm. When he let go, it began to flicker and burn with the light of the sun. Soon Robbie had created a clearing full of the fiery creatures, and Morse dispersed them to guide her animals to the pages of Melinda's book. 

The animal goddess gave a final nod before whisking away into the forest, leaving the other two alone. 

Daisy watched the insects with awe, and Robbie noticed her. "You like them?" he asked, sounding almost abashed. 

"They're beautiful," said Daisy wistfully, catching one on her fingertip before it flew away. "I didn't know that the sun and the animals could create something new. It transcends any boundaries I've ever seen." 

"The universe isn't meant to be caged," replied Robbie quietly, following Daisy's gaze. "We're meant to know each other, to grow and change. The two of us, I'm sure -" He broke off, suddenly, and Daisy frowned.

"What?" she prompted, voice hushed. 

"I didn't mean to imply -"

"No, what?" She was curious now; Daisy was always curious to know more, to see more, to learn more. It was as if the very spirit of the universe was inside her, bursting with excitement. 

A searing pink blossomed over Robbie's cheeks and he looked away, pretending to be fascinated with a nearby plant. "I'm sure there's something the two of us could create. The earth and the sun aren't too far apart, after all." 

"Yes, I'm sure," said Daisy, noting how pretty Robbie looked with the blush dusting over his face. She wondered if she could make him do that again. "Something beautiful?" 

"I have some ideas," murmured Robbie, and Daisy heard the implication behind every single word.  

 

* * *

 

That night the most magnificent sunset lit up the sky, blazing against the horizon. It was saturated with red and pink, bathed in a soft yellow glow. As the sun sank a purple haze descended across the earth, turning the trees into statuesque silhouettes. Daisy and Robbie watched from the sun chariot, clutching the hundreds of papers delivered to them by Morse's animals, and wondering why the most important part of their mission didn't feel important at all. 

The morning, though, was when the mood evaporated and Robbie realised something had gone terribly wrong. 


	4. fearful

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Slowly, slowly, the darkness creeps in. Daisy and Robbie try their best to hold on to the light.

"Daisy." Robbie's voice was rough with sleep and soaked in alarm as he stumbled across the chariot to the earth goddess's resting form. "Daisy, wake up." 

She jolted upwards with a gasp, eyes wide. "Robbie? What's wrong?" Slowly the events of the day sank in and fear flashed across her face. "The book! The book, is it -"

"I still have it," said Robbie, holding up the leather bound tome as proof. "It's right here." 

Daisy relaxed minutely, glancing up at him and asking, "Then what is the problem? Have we come across any adversaries?" 

Robbie beckoned her closer with a motion of his hand, leafing through the heavy volume. "When Morse returned with her animals," he explained, "I thought we had found all the pages." 

"As did I," agreed Daisy, her forehead wrinkling with concern. 

Robbie thumbed to a spot about three quarters of the way through the book and pointed to an empty section, where the jagged paper left a gaping hole. It was clear that one of the pages hadn't yet been returned to the nearly complete volume. "Look," said the sun. "Here." 

A tingle of panic ran down Daisy's spine and her heart leapt into her throat, though she quickly tried to tamp the feeling down. "I'm sure there's an explanation," she reasoned, though her words sounded hollow. "We can - we can call Elena! The last page might be floating on the breeze." 

"Morse's birds searched the sky for hours," Robbie countered, "and at any rate, I have spoken to Elena already. She has seen nothing in the air at all. Neither has Alphonso, or any of the fish." 

Daisy slumped back against the seat of the sun chariot, which suddenly felt cold. "Oh," she said to herself, fear creeping into her voice. "Then I suppose we know who has the last page." A shadow fell over the pair of young gods as though to accentuate her point, and Daisy shivered. 

Daisy, the earth, was very afraid of the darkness. This was for a good reason: during the gods' first war, Ward had kidnapped her and held her in a pocket of pitch black for many days. On earth, everything withered and died as Melinda and the other deities searched for her.

Ward wanted to keep Daisy in his domain, and make her his wife, but Daisy fought back ruthlessly. Her prison began to adapt, fighting against her and growing into a labyrinth. Every day, Daisy would escape the maze, and every day, Ward would shove the weakening goddess back into its center. Melinda and Phillip found her huddled in the blackness, cold and unable to stand. Since then Daisy refused to look Ward in the eyes, but Ward would not stop advancing. Daisy had asked Melinda to place the sun and the stars closer to her horizon, just in case. 

It never seemed that Robbie had cared about Daisy beyond his assigned duties, but now, something had shifted. There was a look in his eyes - a softness she had never seen before, reflecting the warm glow of a forest at dawn. The shadow, upon Robbie's command, dissipated, and he smiled at her. Daisy realised with a jolt that around him, she felt safe. She felt... right. 

"It's alright," said Robbie reassuringly, looking out over the open sky. "Whatever Ward has planned, he's completely in the dark about the sort of team we make. He has no idea what's coming for him." 

Daisy nodded, pensive, and then Robbie's grin cracked a little wider as if to say 'get it? in the dark?' so she smacked his shoulder, unable to stop herself from smiling too. 

 

* * *

 

"I want to wage war," said Daisy, and Robbie spun around so quickly he could've given himself whiplash.

"What?" 

"I want to battle for the last page," Daisy repeated firmly, her voice even and sure. "Us against Ward, with my mother's blessing. We've been tasked to reassemble her book, and I don't want even one page in the hands of that monster." There was a certain savagery involved when Daisy spoke of Ward, hatred purer than most things in the world. Robbie, from the front of the chariot, paused to think. 

"Okay," he said after a moment, and this time it was Daisy's turn to be surprised.

"Really?" she asked, almost breathless, and Robbie laughed. 

"Yes," he responded. "You're right. The possibilities of what Ward could do with even one page are endless. After all -" Robbie sobered, quickly, "-there's too much at stake for selfishness. We need your mother's blessing to attack and complete our quest." 

"To the castle, then," said Daisy, and Robbie echoed her words as they flew across the sky. 

The journey was quiet but not awkward; both of the young gods had much to think about as they soared across the open air. The weight of their decision was heavy on their backs, and Daisy’s imagination ran amok with worst-case scenarios. She let out a long, slow sigh, her shoulders slumping forward, and she dropped her face into her hands.

“Robbie,” she said suddenly, and he responded with a noncommittal ‘hm?’ “Robbie, what if this is the wrong decision?”

Robbie guided the chariot down towards the castle as it came into sight, lifting a single shoulder in a confident shrug. “Getting cold feet?”

“Maybe,” Daisy admitted, her cheeks flushing with shame. “This shouldn’t be war. We only need one page. Maybe the book is alright without it –”

“Maybe it is,” said Robbie sternly, cutting her off. _“Maybe_ that page won’t be enough to harm anyone; _maybe_ the magic contained there won’t let Ward get away with anything. But Daisy, this book is the most powerful object – the most powerful weapon – in the entire _universe._ Those are Melinda’s secrets, and we alone were entrusted to get them back.”

“I didn’t know you felt so strongly about the book,” Daisy quipped nervously, though her resolve was beginning to stiffen once again.

“There’s a lot of things you don’t know about me,” said Robbie, and when Daisy glanced over at him she saw that smirk tugging at his lips once again. “But I’m serious, Daisy. This is important. I know you think so too.”

The earth goddess took a deep, shuddering breath, and for once the energetic young woman looked small. “But Ward –”

“I’ll rip him to shreds,” Robbie interrupted, his hands tightening on the reins of the chariot, “if he lays a finger on you.” He hated seeing her like this, the divine woman rendered as meek as a sparrow. This was not the Daisy he had come to know.

Robbie watched as Daisy relaxed back into her chair, holding her head high once again. “Let’s go see my mother.”

 

* * *

 

 

“Are you sure?” asked Queen Melinda, her arms resting on her regal throne. “This is not an inconsequential thing that you’re asking, my child.”

Daisy looked to Robbie, who nodded. “I’m sure, Mother,” she responded, and her voice did not waver. “Roberto and I have searched the days and the night. We have searched all the lands on the backs of the animals. We have searched the air and the sea and the stars. Only the lord of darkness could have the missing page.”

Melinda’s face tightened with barely controlled rage. “Very well,” said the queen, her voice rumbling with the threat of thundering skies. “You have my blessing to take on the lord of darkness and retrieve the Darkhold’s final page. I trust you will do with it as you see fit.”

Daisy let out her breath and bowed her head. “Thank you, Mother,” she began, but Melinda wasn’t finished.

“No. You two won’t be going alone.” Melinda held up a hand, and the two young gods paused in their tracks. “Lance and Antoine will go with you. The lord of darkness is a formidable enemy, and the others will ease your journey. Even if the mission is just to collect, and not to attack, I am not so foolish as to think that Ward will give up easily. If he has the page, blood will be shed. That is certain.”

“Lance – Lance is _war,_ Mother,” Daisy pointed out nervously. “Is he necessary in a conflict such as this?”

Melinda shrugged a regal shoulder, her eyes stormy. “Perhaps not,” she admitted. “But I will take no chances and leave no stone unturned. Ward is a wild card; an unknown variable.”

“A shot in the dark?” asked Robbie, then mumbled, “Sorry.”

Melinda’s lips twitched into the most miniscule of smiles, and she agreed: “A shot in the dark. We have never been quite sure what we’re up against. I will take any and all precautions – even Lance.”

Robbie turned serious once again, the distant look creeping back into his eyes. Melinda’s conviction in including the hot-tempered god reminded him that, no matter how much had changed in this short time, the mission was still alive, well, and woefully incomplete. Nothing but hard work was going to change that fact.

“Very well.” Daisy had spoken again, and she too was somber with understanding. “I trust your judgement, Mother.”

The others were summoned quickly to Melinda’s palace, arriving on the backs of Elena’s trusted wind currents. Antoine was unruffled, as always, while Lance was in the midst of complaining about something Daisy had never even heard of. She almost smiled at the familiar sight but instead looked to Robbie for comfort, reminding herself of their task. This would not be easy.

“Queen Melinda,” greeted Antoine, bowing his head respectfully as he approached the throne. “I’ve heard rumours of the quest you’ve summoned me for – are they true?”

“They are,” said Melinda, and her confirmation seemed to chill the air by ten degrees. Daisy felt the flutter of nerves rise once again in her chest. “I need to you to join Daisy and Roberto in order to retrieve the last page of my book.”

“Bloody hell,” piped up Lance, folding his arms over his chest. “And why am I here? You’re sending me as well? Don’t tell me you’re picking a fight –”

“Silence,” Melinda interrupted harshly, her voice reverberating around the marble halls. “The lord of darkness is not one to be trifled with. He has coerced a mortal into stealing for him and broken the divine pact that constitutes the sacred nature of this palace. Even if he has no plans for his stolen page – which I doubt – Ward has permanently shattered his allegiance with the rest of the gods. This, Lance, is indeed a war. I expect you will pick a side and choose wisely.”

Humbled, the god ducked his head and scratched the back of his neck, mumbling a reply. “Yes, majesty. I apologise for doubting you.”

“Very well.” Much like before, maidservants melted out of the castle’s magnificent walls, each bearing gifts for the newly arrived gods. For Antoine was a briefcase filled with the most elaborate of potions, protected by riddles and tricks only his cunning mind could decipher. Lance, however, was merely given a stone. Before he could complain once again, Melinda stepped in. “Hold it in your palm,” she instructed, “and close your fingers around it.”

Lance did as she asked, the picture of sarcastic skepticism. But the moment his fist closed, Lance vanished into thin air. Daisy stifled a gasp. “What?” asked Lance as he let go, tossing the rock in his hand. “It’s just a rock.”

Melinda nodded at him to do it again, and Lance groaned. “Look,” he said, disappearing once more. “Nothing even –”

He stopped. Reappeared. Held up his hands, made a fist, and was gone. “Satisfied?” asked Melinda, but Lance was far too thrilled with the stone’s power to feel ashamed. “Good. May Leopold and Gabriel guide you against this darkness.”

“Thank you, Mother,” said Daisy, speaking for the entire group. “Let your blessing bring us fortune.”

Melinda smiled down at the group of young gods. “Make me proud.”

 

* * *

 

 

“So,” said Lance, scanning the group. “It looks like we’re doing this.”

Daisy took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. “Elena told us that the last recorded sighting of Ward was near this cliff. She’s never wrong. If she told us he’s here, then he’ll be here.”

“So we just barge right in?” asked Lance, snapping his fingers. A spear grew out of nothing into the war god’s hands, sharp and deadly. “Because I’m cool with that. Go on, take him out, find the page.”

_“No,”_ said Antoine firmly, kneeling down and unclipping his brief case. “I have a plan.” The rest of the team looked on expectantly as the god removed a small, rough box and placed it on the ground. “This will ignite when in contact with fire. Roberto can do so with his chain. If Ward is here, he’ll hear the explosion and send out a creature of darkness - that way, we’ll be able to guess where he’s coming from.

“Lance, you’ll need to follow the spirit when it returns,” Antoine continued. “Invisible. Once you find an entrance, crush this beneath your feet.” The god of strategy removed a small, powdery orb from the case and handed it to Lance. “It will send up a smoke signal and alert us to your location, and from there we can regroup and attack. Daisy and Roberto?”

“We’ll go straight for the page,” said Daisy, nodding to Robbie.

“And leave us to deal with Ward? Girl, I see what you’re doing,” said Antoine, cracking a small half smile. “But you’re right – you two have the most experience with the book. Lance and I will cover Ward.”

Antoine’s familiar, joking manner relaxed Daisy just so and she nodded again, glancing to a notoriously quiet Robbie. “You all good?”

“Getting my game face on,” said the sun, and Daisy saw the tightness in his features, the worry in his eyes. This was no small feat, and yet Daisy knew that his lighthearted words were for her benefit, and hers alone. She reached out to touch his shoulder, her fingers feather light against the rough leather of his jacket.

“It’s okay,” Daisy replied softly, her eyes filled with empathy. “We can do this.”

Robbie let out a breath and admitted, “I didn’t say good bye to Gabe.”

“No need,” said the earth with a confidence she didn’t feel. “We’ll be home soon.”

A smile touched Robbie’s lips and he gave a terse nod. “Let’s go, then,” he said, voice low, as he turned to the small team of assembled gods. “Antoine, on your signal.”

The deities readied themselves and Robbie unravelled his chain, grasping it tightly in his hands. _“Go,”_ Antoine hissed, and the divine metal came crashing down.

The blast was larger than expected and Daisy’s vision was filled with specks of dust. The earth goddess gritted her teeth and, with a flick of her wrist, forced down the dirt in order to give her group a better view. Next to her, Antoine smiled his thanks.

As predicted, a living shadow soon slid into the crisp afternoon air and Daisy sucked in a breath, her eyes sharp on the embodiment of darkness. From across the clearing, Lance vanished, and Daisy could only assume he was following the thing back to whatever hellish existence it came from. For a few heavy moments silence swelled like a wave about to break, and then red smoke burst into view over the trees.

“He found it – now come on, we have to move.” Antoine’s voice propelled them forwards and the trio took off across the clearing, eyes fixed on the red of Lance’s signal. It didn’t take long to find the god of war, who was standing in front of a rocky cliff face looking rather unimpressed.

“The spirit went through the wall,” said Lance. As a pensive afterthought, he continued, “I’m assuming it’s hollow, but wouldn’t bet on it.”

Daisy shot out a hand and sent the force of an earthquake hurtling into the rock, which exploded inwards to reveal a pitch black tunnel. “Looks like you were right,” she said, peering into the gloom. “Robbie?”

The sun god lit a fire in his hands and nodded towards the cavern. “Ready when you are.”

“Antoine, Lance – follow us. We’ll need you to distract Ward once we get closer to the page,” Daisy instructed. “He knows we’re here, and I’m sure he knows what we’re here for, so this is just a matter of strength. Ward is only one person, after all.”

“Stop stressing. Roberto will light a path and we’ll follow the plan,” said Antoine confidently. “We’re wasting time. Come on.”

 

* * *

 

 

Of course, this meant that nothing was going to go as planned at all. Upon stepping into the cave, Daisy felt a cold brush of wind on her neck and seconds later Robbie’s light was snuffed out. She backed into him, pressing her side to his for comfort. Their surroundings were pitch black save for the entrance behind them, and Daisy’s skin prickled.

“We have to get out,” she said suddenly. “We need to recuperate. This isn’t right, this is –”

“This is impressive,” interrupted a cold, impassive voice. “Even for you. I didn’t think you would be quite this naïve.”

_Ward._

“You’ve brought the four least important gods in the entire universe,” sneered the lord of darkness, materialising into a corner opposite the group. “Good. Melinda won’t miss you when you become collateral damage.”

“Keep my mother’s name out of your mouth,” Daisy snarled. “You haven’t had that right since you tried to kill her millennia ago.”

Ward’s mouth curled into a paper-cut smile. “Oh, little sky,” he crooned, and his eyes were earnest. “That wasn’t me. The void persuaded me to do its bidding. Phillip banished me to the darkness; _he_ crushed my spirit and made me into _this.”_

It dawned on Daisy that the darkness wasn’t natural, but a manifestation of Ward’s evil crowding the empty cavern. Her eyes locked with Robbie’s, then Antoine’s, then Lance’s, and slowly they all understood.

“Phillip should have killed you,” said the earth flatly. “And my name is _Daisy.”_

With an abrupt nod she thrust out a hand and shoved an earthquake into Ward’s chest. He stumbled back, surprise flashing across his face, and fought the force, shoving his way forwards again. The darkness flickered and Daisy quaked the lord of darkness again, slamming him into the wall.

Robbie’s fire had returned and was lapping at the creatures made of nothing, a high pitched whine released from the thick black substance. His eyes burned a divine red with the power of the sun, his hands ablaze. Around her, Daisy spotted Antoine and Lance making do with what they had; Antoine’s briefcase was thrown open and its contents combusted in ways Daisy never could have imagined.

“We know you have the last page,” Daisy growled as she stalked forward, pinning Ward to the wall. “And we want it back.”

“Melinda’s dirty work,” gasped Ward through Daisy’s grasp, mocking still. She shoved him harder, barely resisting the urge to destroy him on sight.

“We know you have the last page,” she repeated with a cold, deadly fury. “And we want it _back.”_

“No.”

“Wrong answer.” Daisy’s eyes were a vengeful, gleaming black. _“We know you have the last page. And we –_ ”

Ward threw out a hand, wrestling out of her grip. “Take it, then,” he bit out, glaring. “Go find it.”

Daisy’s confidence faltered momentarily; she hadn’t expected him to give up easily – or at all. But the cave is clearing; Ward’s darkness is giving way to the natural light of Robbie’s sun. Maybe…? Perhaps this wasn’t the endeavour Daisy had feared.

Then she saw the tendrils of darkness climbing up Robbie’s leg and forgot about Ward entirely; Robbie was being swallowed alive by the mist and panic seized Daisy’s heart. “What – what are you –”

“I’m giving you what you want,” Ward replied with a smile. Daisy wanted to punch it off his face. “The page. Isn’t it?”

“Give him back,” she demanded, backing away from him. “This is not – let Robbie go!”

Ward’s influence was stronger now, winding up to Robbie’s waist and holding him hostage there. Daisy could only watch, helpless, unable to do anything.

“It’s not him you want,” she hissed, voice shaking. “Why – why drag him into this at all?”

“He’s here of his own accord,” Ward replied blandly. “I’m just granting your wishes, after all.”

The darkness was up to Robbie’s shoulders now and he clawed it away from his neck, taking in desperate breaths of air. “This is not what I want,” said Daisy. “This is _nothing_ –”

Robbie vanished. There was a hole in space where he used to be, pure black with no depth or dimension, and Daisy stopped abruptly. She was lightheaded with fear and anger, a sudden pit forming in her stomach. _“No.”_

“I told you, little sky,” Ward hummed, his eyes twinkling. “I know you. I knew that your friends would fight the good fight, take on the spirits. My creations. Those are child’s play. You? You go straight for power. You wanted _me.”_

Daisy had been staring at the void created by Robbie’s disappearance, noticing a ripple on its surface. It could be a door – a portal; he wasn’t dead, only transported.

“I hope you rot,” Daisy snapped, and took a running start into nothing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would say sorry about the puns, but... I'm not.


	5. fearless

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The tension swells. The final battle is here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this has been a wild ride - I started this on a whim and here I am! this au has been completed (for now) and our story is drawing to a close. I can hardly believe it. thank you for bringing me here :)

"Robbie?" Daisy's voice echoed around the black space and she searched frantically for him, eyes adjusting rapidly to the dark. "Robbie!"

"I'm here." His voice is quiet, sturdy, a little bit shaken. “Daisy, you shouldn’t have come.”

She found the outline of his form in front of her, studying the shadowed figure with intent. “Don’t be foolish,” she replied, swallowing hard. “I had to come through before the gateway closed.”

Robbie’s laugh was rough around the edges and he shook his head. “That’s not what I meant.”

Daisy’s expression darkened in the black and she threw her shoulders back, raising her chin. “Listen to me, Roberto,” she intoned, her words razor sharp. “I made my decision of my own accord. I am here now and nothing will stop that. We simply have to move on.”

Robbie shifted in the dark, heaving a sigh. “You’re right,” he agreed, the sentiment tinged with regret. “I only wanted you to understand that such a sacrifice on my behalf wasn’t necessary.”

Daisy stilled, inhaling sharply. “We can dwell on that later,” she said firmly. “For now we need to figure out where we are, and how to get out. Can you make a light?”

There was a pause before Daisy heard Robbie speak again, fear creeping into his voice. “No. This place, it’s - it’s fighting me.”

“It’s alright.” This, of course, was a lie; Robbie’s fire would have been a major advantage in this pitch black world. Still, both of them needed to keep their heads if they were to make it out alive. “Come closer, then. Stick with me in case we encounter anything with ill will.”

Robbie took two steps forward and slammed into a wall. Daisy’s reaction was a waterfall of emotions all at once - amusement first, then realisation, and finally the icy drip of horror down her spine. The cool liquid of shock washed away the doubt in her mind and Daisy stifled a scream. Instead, she cleared her throat over the sound of Robbie’s loudly voiced displeasure and garnered his attention immediately. “What?”

Daisy nodded to the space around them, panic rising in her chest as she fought to keep her voice steady. “The walls. In the dark,” she whispered hoarsely. “I know where we are.”

Robbie understood instantly, reaching out to Daisy and resting a hand on her arm in the dark. “Ward’s maze.”

“He called it the Framework,” she said absently, running her fingers along the wall Robbie had just run into. Her expression, hidden in the dark, was distant and hollow. “I called it Hell.”

“Do you know how to leave?” Robbie asked hesitantly, fearful of the answer.

“That’s the point of this place,” Daisy told him sorrowfully. “A prison for a god. There’s no exit from the inside.”

“You were able to escape the last time -“

“I was rescued,” Daisy cried, her voice hitching. “I was useless back then, and I still am now.”

The same protectiveness from before flared in Robbie’s chest and he interrupted her, gentle but stern. “You’re not useless, Daisy.”

“Oh? Prove it.”

“We put together Melinda’s book from nothing. That was your plan. You chose the honour of battle to finish the quest. _You_ made the strategy to attack Ward, and you made the decision to save me.” Robbie turned so Daisy was facing him, and he swore he could see her eyes shimmering in the black. “That’s far from useless. Without you I would be alone and ignorant of this place’s true nature. Without you I would be powerless and afraid. Without you I wouldn’t have hope.”

“You’re just saying that,” Daisy murmured, glancing down. Robbie tilted up her chin, his touch steady and warm.

“I’m not. Daisy, I -“ He reached out to take her hand and she reciprocated gladly, her words overlapping his.

“I have an idea.”

Robbie couldn’t stop the smile that came to his face. “I knew you would.”

Daisy squeezed his hand hard, something solid and real in their inky black world. “You’re just going to have to trust me,” she said quietly, her words packed with intent.

“Of course.”

“Good.”

And Daisy was reborn.

The darkness in its entirety was peeled away, shrinking from the divine light Daisy exuded. The earth goddess had begun to glow, her eyes alight with the full power bestowed to her by the cosmos. Robbie knew what this was - going divine was a god’s most powerful weapon, capable of destroying and creating galaxies in minutes. Daisy was building enough energy to rewrite all of history.

When the glow subsided, Daisy was visibly unchanged. But her face was still different, painted with a new loftiness that looked alien on her features. Daisy had the whole universe in her head, and was planning to take down a god.

“I am not who I was three millennia ago.” When she spoke, the very foundations of the Framework shook. “Your prison which held me then will not hold me now.” Her words seemed to penetrate the boundary between dimensions and speak directly to Ward on the other side. “I am not afraid.”

The maze began to shake with Daisy’s sheer power as she began to speak, and Robbie knew that the sight he was witnessing was the largest display of raw divine right ever displayed. Daisy was establishing herself as ultimate, as unconquerable, as superior. And she did it with no effort at all; her celestial form was strong enough to expand into this being all on its own.

“I am Daisy, becomer of the earth, daughter of the sky,” she said, and though her words were soft, their greatness rolled throughout every world. “I call to myself the Darkhold in its true form. I bring to myself the world as it should be. I establish myself as bringer of justice. I see you, lord of darkness, and I say no more.”

The prison melted away and the pair of gods stood once again in Ward’s cavern, where his army of shades lay decimated on the stone. Daisy strode towards the delinquent god, her face impassive, and for once Ward looked afraid.

“You.” Daisy’s voice echoed again and her eyes turned a starry black. “I have spoken to the cosmos and they have marked your execution.”

“Daisy,” Ward pleaded, pressed against the wall of the cave. “Have mercy.”

“You tried to kill me,” Daisy snapped, and her power swelled with her golden aura. “You trapped me in that maze eons ago and left me to die. You have tried to usurp my mother and kill my friends. You have coerced mortals into working for you and when that did not work in your favour you killed them too.”

Daisy pulled the Darkhold from thin air, Melinda’s object of power complete once again with the addition of the final page. “Remember this book, Ward. It was your greatest desire and now your demise. Your chances have been used; the well of forgiveness is dry. This was your final mistake.”

“You don’t want to kill me,” Ward gasped, his eyes frantic. “You don’t -“

“I’m not doing anything,” Daisy interrupted coldly, glancing back at Robbie. “I’m just going to watch.”

The sun was seized with a sudden burning certainty, the searing need to employ a power that he used to judge the souls of newly dead. He knew what the verdict would be, if he turned those vengeful eyes on Ward. Robbie knew it as truthfully as he’d ever known anything in his life.

He did not hesitate before letting penance cloud his vision, and staring straight into Ward’s soul.

The thing, like the rest of Ward’s meagre existence, was mottled with the darkness that created him, angry black tumours stretching across his heart. Robbie looked harder and saw torture, saw murder, saw blood staining Ward’s arms up to his shoulders. The spectacle almost made him sick but those judging eyes kept searching, deeper, darker, into Ward’s plotting and treachery. Soon the lord of darkness was screaming with a fervour that began to bring down the cavern walls, the corruption of his soul branded forever with the divine mark of penance.

When the light in Robbie’s eyes faded, he saw that Daisy had similarly stopped glowing. Ward’s chest was burned straight through and charred around the edges, as though he were made of wood and not flesh. The god began to blow away in the wind, crumbling one piece at a time into a sandy powder.

And then there was nothing. The battlefield was quiet. Birds began to chirp again and fill nature with their glorious song. Daisy and Robbie had triumphed.

“He’s not dead, you know,” Daisy mused as she walked through the wreckage. Her hair was mussed and wind blown, and she was sporting a bruise on her right cheek. Golden ichor dripped from a cut on her brow, and Robbie was struck in this moment with her beauty.

“I know,” he replied, looking out to the forest where Ward’s ashes had blown away. “He’s an immortal. Nothing will keep him down forever.”

“He’ll be back,” said Daisy, her melodic voice unusually mournful. “Someday.”

“I know,” Robbie said again, and when he glanced back to her he noticed that Daisy was ever so much closer than before. “But let’s not think about that.”

“No,” agreed Daisy. “Let’s not.”

There was much to do, still: the completed Darkhold needed to be returned to Queen Melinda; Lance and Antoine needed to be contacted and brought back to the palace; Daisy needed to heal the earth after Ward’s devastating attack. But now, the sun was setting, and Robbie was kissing her with enough sweetness to dye the horizon as red as Daisy’s blushing cheeks..

And in this moment she was sure that from here, things would only get better.

 

_FIN._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> that's it, once and for all! I'm over at thoughtsbubble on tumblr if you would like to yell at/with me. :) as always, comments and kudos are dearly appreciated.

**Author's Note:**

> kudos and comments are always appreciated. I'm on tumblr at thoughtsbubble if you would like to yell at/with me :)


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